Electric floor washers



July 27, 1965 B. GALLAGHER 3,196,474

ELECTRIC FLooa wAsHERs AFiled June 15, 196s 2 sheets-sheet 1 IN VEA/TOR BRENDN GALL GER GMM* A T TORNEYS.

B. GALLAGHER ELECTRIC FLOOR WASHERS July 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13, 1963 UUUUUUUUUUUUU FIGB INVENTOR. BRENDAN GA L l. A G//ER FIG.6

ATTDRNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,196,474 ELECTRIC FLGOR WASHERS Brendan Gallagher, 76 Grove St., New Canaan, Conn. Filed .lune 13, 1963, Ser. No. 287,690 8 Claims. (Cl. 1S-99) The present invention relates to iloor washing machines and in particular to mvachines having a revolving :belt rotating over a pair of spaced rollers.

In .the past many devices have been provided for washing or scrubbing floors. Some have utilized rollers and tanks or spraying or other means for providing the cleaning tluid.

p Providing a clean belt or clean fluid has been a problem of the past since belts of the past have usually recirculated through the fluids they wiped up.

Fluid application of the past has not been uniform. Fluid applied to belts was either recirculated, getting progressively dirtier or sprayed onto a floor in the cleaning area or dipped ont-o a belt which recirculated either the clean fluid picked up by the machine or recirculated dirty duid of some form.

According tothe present invention, a simple continuous roller floor cleaning machine is provided which utilizes the same belt for applying the cleaning fluids and detergents which effectively segregates the clean fluid from the dir-ty fluid.

The electric oor washer ope-rates as follows. Hot water (or other cleaning lluids) is fed by gravity through a manually operated valve into a dispenser at the front of the machine which splashes the water evenly over the breadth of a continuous belt. Underneath the top spongy surface layer of the belt is a tirm base of rubber which is uniformly perforated over its entire surface. The belt moves around two big rollers and between two small squeezer rollers.

The water is Iabsorbed by the dry spongy layer of the belt yand as the belt rotates it brings the wet spongy surface in contact with the oor. The water and dirt form a dirty liquid solution which is carried by the sponge surface up over the big rear rolle-r and down to the small squeezer rollers. Here the sponge layer is greatly compressed and the dir-ty liquid solution accumulates befo-re the squeezer rollers .and the solution pours through the perforations in the trm rubber base of the belt and descends into a sump. From here it is pumped up to a container on top which can be manually removed for emptying the dirty solution. Power is obtained from an electric motor. A spur gear on the output shaft of the motor meshes with a similar spur gear which is on the end of the top squeezer roller shaft. This spur gear in turn meshes with an identical spur vgear on the end of the bottom squeezer roller shaft. The two squeezer rollers impart motion to the belt. The two big rollers are free to rotate in their bearings.

The person operating the machine would have to restrain it manually to get a sliding instead of a rolling action in order to get a good cleaning effect.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention yare pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be further 4understood by reference to the ldescription following and the accompanying draw- 1n s.

gFIGURE 1 shows a side elevation of the essential details of the electric oor washer. Parts of the three spur gears `are shown cut away for clarity. The electric motor is represented by the triangular shape in the center of the drawing. On the right of the motor is a square which represents the pump which is operated by a cam on the output shaft of the motor.

ice

FIGURE 2 shows a front elevation of the essential details of the cleaning lluid dispenser.

FIGURE 3 shows a section of the cleaning fluid dispenser at lines 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4 shows an alternate form for the cleaning fluid dispenser.

FIGURE 5 is a section of the large rear roller which shows the essential details of the roller and the continuous belt at lines 5--5 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse View partly in section showin-g a spring mounting for the 'bottom squeezer roller in another embodiment of the present invention, at lines 6 6 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures- The container for the cleaning fluid (No. 1, FIG. 1) has baffles to prevent waves. The gently sloping bottom of the container leads to the outlet which is connected by tubing lto a manually controlled valve (marked V in FIG. 1). yThe valve could have a cable control which would be operated lat the handle of the machine. The outlet end of the valve i-s connected to the dispenser which is fully described later.

The water leaving the dispenser is distributed evenlyv over the breadth of the spongy surface of the continuous belt (No. 3, FIG. 1)

IThe belt moves around two large rollers (Nos. 4 and 5, FIG. 1) and between two small squeezer rollers (Nos. 6 and 7, FIG. l). The'squeezer rollers are the same length las the breadth of the spongy surface of the belt.

Outside the breadth of the belt and on the end of each, roller are two identical spur gears which are in mesh.v

(For clarity all spur gears are shown partly cut away.) The electric motor which provides the .power for the machine is shown with `a triangular shape and is situated approximately in the center of the machine. At the end of .the output shaft (No. 8, FIG. 1) of the motor is ya spur gear which meshes with the spur gear at the end of the top squeezer roller. @n the output shaft of the motor there is also a cam (No. 9, FIG. 1) which is in Contact with a roller follower which operates a pump (No. 10, FIG. 1).

. The squeezer rollers driven by the motor -pull the continuous belt `and cause it to rotate around the two large rollers which are free to turn in their bearings. The wet spongy surface of the belt is dragged across the door to be cleaned (the operator ,must hold the machine to prevent pure rolling) and the fluid .and the dirt form a di-rty solution which is carried up on the continuous belt over the large rear roller (No. 5, FIG. 1) and towards the 4two squeezer rollers. As the belt passes through the squeezer rollers, the spongy surface is greatly compressed and the dirty fluid builds up and flows through the spongy layer and through the numerous perforated holes in the iirm rubber base lof the belt. The iluid falls through another -perforated surface (No. 1l, FIG. 1) and .descends into a sump (No. 12, FIG. 1) from where it is sucked by the intake of `the pump and pumped up to the container (No. 13, FIG. 1) for the dirty fluid. 'Ibis container can be removed by the operator for emptying.

One form of dispenser 2 is shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3. The water having passed through the llow control valve (V, FIG. l) falls into the dispenser where it spreads out along the length of the dispenser behind a retainer which is sho-wn with a triangular section. When the water rises behind the retainer, it can ilow through the cylindrical holes in the retainer and then fall down land pass through the nipples which protrude from the bottom of the dispenser. The water then drops on the spongy surface of the continuous belt. For increased flows of Water, the level will buildup behind thel dispenser 'and the water will flow over the top of the retainer. Various features in the dispenser are designed to effect a fairly nniformdischarge of-water'oventhe length ofthe dispenser even when the 'iioor is 'not quite horizontal.' l

The

A retainer offrect'angular sec-VV There is Ia seriesof rows of cylindrical holes of squeeze'rollers; said squeeze rollers locatedbetween said first and 'second rollers within lines joiningthe outer ends of theA vertical diameters of said first and'second rollers; said squeeze rollers adapted to engage said belt in squeezing relationship and further adapted to rotate said belt; V.a sump locatedV within :the perimeter of said belt adjacent said squeeze rollers; la first tank mounted outside the perimeter of said Vbelt adapted 'to vcontain a '.cleaningfluid, said'tank opening upon said belt and having valvejmeansadapted tovcontrol the flow of said fluid Y onto said belt; a secondtank outside the perimeter of 5. The top ridge (No. 15,Y FIG, 5U)` of the Vfirmjrubber' Y base prevents the water from flowing'over the side of the said belt; a pump adapted to .pump/used tiuid from said sumpvtintosaid second tank; anda motor adapted to bel-t ,as it passes through the lsqueezer rollers. The

squeezer rollers compress the Vspongy* surface (No. 3,

FIG. 5.) below the level of these rid-ges s0 that the ridges also lguide the belt underthe top squeezer roller. The

u Iother bottom ridge (No. 16,;FIG, 5)y on the inner surface of the `firm rubber ba-se sits inra recess on each'end of the large rollers .andV guides the belt' around the'large rollers. i

roller. This ridge isV at a slight, angle off the vertical.

1The base or" the sump is in contact with the firm rubber Isurface of the belt in order to keep the pressure vbetween the floor Vand the spong'y surface ofthe belt as uniform as pos-sible over the entire contact area. f

Ittalso guides the belt over the bottom squeezer -actuate Asaid squeeze rollers and said pump.V

`2. A iioor washing machine as defined 1n claiml and further including a sump having a fiat lower 'portion adapted to hold'the'belt flat against the floor.

' 3. A floor washing machine asdefined in clairn'l and i further includingY a strainer adapted'to` strain iiuid entering said sump. Y Y r ,l Y Y v4. Alloorwashing ymachine as defined in claim 1 further inclu-ding inter-engaging gears onV at yleast one end of said squeeze rollers. u

Y 5. A4 floor washingmachinenas defined in claim 1 fur- As shown in FIG. 6, within the purview of the present u invention is the jremoveabilityof rthe bottom squeez'erVV roller from a'spring mounting forjthe `convenience of belt placement. Such mounting .also servesto prevent` the formation of permanent depressions on the belt when itis not in ilse.

The motoras shown is enclosed and naturally insulated against the working fluid causing any malfunction` ya V in combination with the rear-roller 5 mayA ing. u Scraper 17V ther includingbaiiies within said first and second tanks.

6L Afloor Washingmachine as delined'inrclaim 1 further including a'dispenser, said first tank opening into said dispenser `wherein the valve Ymeans are adapted to control vrtheflow'rof the fluid 4ontofsaid dispenser.l

be provided for the Vremoval of large lobjects on the belt.' f Y The terms and expressions-which are employed are used as terms of description, it is recognized; though that various modifications are possible invention claimed.

f' IHaving thus' described certain forms ofj'the invention in somerdetail, what is'clairned is: Y Y

1. A floor washing machine comprising a continuous belt including a spongy'outersurfce, a iirrn rubber Abase, perforations in'said baseadapted'to allow the passage of fluid; a first roller; ya second roller; said first and Vsecfvr within the Yscope of the' ond rollers adapted to rotatablyY receive said belt; a pair 7. A floorI washing machine Yasv defined in claim 6 'havin-g a dispenser, lsaid dispenser having nipples adapted to drip sraid'iiuid evenlyover Vsaid belt. 5

'l Y `8. A floor Washing machine as deiinedin claim 1 wherein said bottom IsquerezerV roller -is removably mounted on a spring mounting.

"f (References:Citedihyithe *Eiraininerl l UNIVTED STATESV PATENTS Y' 1,271,629

HRLESA. wrLVLMUTmPrimary Examiner.,

WALTER A. SCHEEL, 'Examiner'. 

1. A FLOOR WASHING MACHINE COMPRISING A CONTINUOUS BELT INCLUDING A SPONGY OUTER SURFACE, A FIRM RUBBER BASE, PERFORATIONS IN SAID BASE ADAPTED TO ALLOW THE PASSAGE OF FLUID; A FIRST ROLLER; A SECOND ROLLER; SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROLLERS ADAPTED TO ROTATBLY RECEIVE SAID BELT; A PAIR OF SQUEEZE ROLLERS; SAID SQUEEZE ROLLERS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROLLERS WITHIN LINES JOINING THE OUTER ENDS OF THE VERTICAL DIAMETERS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ROLLERS; SAID SQUEEZE ROLLERS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID BELT IN SQUEEZING RELATIONSHIP AND FURTHER ADAPTED TO ROTATE SAID BELT; A SUMP LOCATED WITHIN THE PERIMETER OF SAID BELT ADJACENT SAID SQUEEDZE ROLLERS; A FIRST TANK MOUNTED 